Greg Fischer says focus is on work to do in Louisville; Mum on U.S. Senate race in '16

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who is running for re-election this year, is remaining quiet about a possible bid for U.S. Senate in 2016 when the post is again on the ballot, but he says the discourse coming out of Washington is what has been bad for the United States.

Fischer has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the office when Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul’s first term comes to an end, and if current Kentucky law stands Paul would have to choose whether to run for re-election in the state or run for president.

For now Fischer says he has more work to do in Louisville, but he also points out that he is the “business mayor” which has not been his “life long profession.”

In 2008, Fischer was one of seven Democrats who ran in the primary for U.S. Senate — Fisher finished second with nearly 34 percent of the vote behind Bruce Lunsford who went on to challenge U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Fischer acknowledges that people are talking about who will run in 2016, but he’s not willing to say if he would enter a race.

“I find it’s real easy for other people to tell you what kind of office you should run for. I can tell you that I’ve been mayor for three and a half years. I’m on the ballot in November. I really enjoy being mayor. There’s an awful lot left to do here…that’s what my focus is,” Fischer said.

Meanwhile, Rand Paul continues to stalk the White House setting up advance teams in early presidential primary states and playing a role in national GOP conversations about the next steps for the party.

Responding to a question from Pure Politics about Paul and his work in the Senate Fischer said the people of Kentucky need someone to come from the middle, and not the ideological right or left.

“We need people to bring everybody together. We don’t need polarized discussions, of course that’s what’s happening in Washington D.C. right now. That is a case study for what we do not need to do in America. We need people to come to the center because that’s where 90 percent of the people are in this country,” Fischer said. “Those are the type of people we like to work with.”

Current Auditor Adam Edelen — who took shots at Paul at Fancy Farm — is also being listed as a possible candidate in 2016.

Nick Storm

Nick Storm is the Anchor and Managing Editor of Pure Politics available exclusively on Spectrum News. Pure Politics is the only nightly program dedicated to Kentucky politics. Nick covers all of the political heavyweights and his investigative work brings to light issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, like his coverage of the backlog of DNA rape kits waiting to be tested in Kentucky. Nick is also working on a feature length bio documentary Outlaw Poet: A documentary on Ron Whitehead. Pure Politics airs weeknight at 7 and 11:30 on Spectrum News. Follow Nick on Twitter @NStorm_Politics. Nick can be reached at 502-792-1107 or nicholas.storm@charter.com.